Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Rich, moist, and amazingly decadent, these chocolate muffins are loaded with shredded zucchini. Perfect with a cup of coffee, they’re a delicious way to use up that zucchini in your garden.
Today’s zucchini muffins get a double dose of chocolate from dark chocolate chips and cocoa powder. When shopping for cocoa powder, you’ll likely notice a couple of options. Understanding the nuances between various types of cocoa powders will help you make the best choice for your baking needs.
Cocoa powder is made from cocoa beans. After the beans are harvested, they’re fermented, dried, and roasted to bring out their flavor and aroma. The outer shells of the beans are removed (hulled) to reveal the cocoa nibs. The nibs are ground into a liquid paste called chocolate liquor. Allowed to cool and solidify, this chocolate liquor (contains no alcohol) becomes what’s known as unsweetened baking chocolate. When the paste is pressed to remove most of the fat (cocoa butter), dried, and finely ground, it becomes unsweetened cocoa powder.
There are two types of unsweetened cocoa powder: natural and Dutch processed. While both types of cocoa powder add a wonderful deep chocolate flavor to desserts and baked goods, their unique chemical properties affect how they work in various recipes.
Natural cocoa powder is the most common type of cocoa powder used in recipes. Sometimes labeled “unsweetened cocoa powder” or “100% cocoa powder,” it’s bitter and acidic with a strong, concentrated chocolate flavor. It’s the cocoa powder of choice in recipes that include baking soda. Since natural cocoa powder is an acid and baking soda is a base, the two ingredients react together causing baked goods to rise.
Dutch-process cocoa powder is made from cocoa beans that have been soaked in an alkaline solution which neutralizes the acidity of the beans. Sometimes it’s labeled “alkalized cocoa powder” or “processed with alkali.” This type of cocoa powder is darker in color, less bitter tasting, and dissolves in liquids easier. It’s often described as having a richer, fudgier flavor. Since Dutch-process cocoa powder doesn’t react with baking soda, it’s often used in recipes calling for baking powder.
Black cocoa powder is a style of Dutch-process cocoa powder that has gone through a slightly different alkalizing method, making it extremely dark in color. I understand it’s the cocoa powder used to make Oreo cookies. The same selection rules apply for black cocoa powder as Dutch-process cocoa powder in terms of leavening agents.
To simplify your cocoa powder selection process, use the following chart.
If you don’t have the desire or pantry space to stock multiple varieties of cocoa powder, I would have natural cocoa powder on hand as my go-to choice. You can also purchase cocoa powder blends that contain a mix of natural and Dutch process. Saco Pantry brand makes a cocoa powder blend containing natural and Dutch. The King Arthur Baking Company produces a blend of natural, Dutch, and black cocoa powder called Triple Cocoa Blend. Both of these cocoa powder blends can be used in any recipe calling for cocoa powder.
Store cocoa powder in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place. When properly stored, cocoa powder will keep for up to two years. However, the strength of the chocolate flavor fades over time. Do not store cocoa powder in the refrigerator or freezer as moisture can lead to spoilage.
To your health,
Darlene
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI MUFFINS
Yield: 16 servings
Serving Size: 1 muffin
Prep: 15 minutes
Ready: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
16 baking cup liners or vegetable oil cooking spray
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup neutral oil such as canola
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup 1% milk
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (such as Nestle Toll House® Dark Chocolate Morsels)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin baking pans with baking cups or coat with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, stir together granulated sugar, oil, sour cream, egg, and vanilla extract until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with milk, mixing after each addition. Stir until just combined (overmixing the batter will result in tough muffins).
Squeeze shredded zucchini of excess moisture. Add zucchini and chocolate chips to batter and stir to combine. Evenly divide batter to yield 16 muffins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool on a wire rack.
Nutrition Information per Serving
167 Calories, 7 g Total fat, 2 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 13 mg Cholesterol, 115 mg Sodium, 27 g Total carbohydrate, 2 g Dietary fiber, 17 g Total sugars, 16 g Added sugars, 3 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 26 mg (2%) Calcium, 1 mg (6%) Iron, 78 mg (2%) Potassium
© 2023 RECIPES MADE HEALTHY BY DARLENE ZIMMERMAN, MS, RD LLC
Thanks Stacey😊. They were super moist too!
These look delicious!